1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to an apparatus and method for cutting a sheet of material. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for cutting paper, where a degraded knife, cheekwood, or cut rubber can be replaced without stopping the running of the cutting machine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Cutting machines for cutting material, and in particular a web of paper, are known in the prior art. Such cutting machines normally use a knife blade which is surrounded by cheekwoods. Cheekwoods are blocks of material on either side of the knife blade which hold the knife blade in place and which contact a cut rubber against which the knife blade cuts. Directly opposite the knife blade in prior art cutting machines is a cut rubber. A cut rubber is a strip of rubber or other resilient material which the knife blade contacts after it has cut through the paper, and against which the paper is cut by the knife blade. The paper is passed between the knife blade/cheekwoods and the cut rubber, and the knife blade is moved toward and away from the paper and cut rubber. Each time the knife blade moves toward the paper and cut rubber, it cuts the paper. When the knife blade moves away from the paper and cut rubber, the paper is advanced to provide a new portion of the paper for cutting.
Such prior art industrial machines designed to cut large quantities of paper in a short time require frequent maintenance because their knives, cheekwoods, and/or cut rubbers degrade from constant use. Attempts have been made to improve the materials, geometry, and cutting dynamics of the knives, cheekwoods, and/or cut rubbers in prior art cutting machines, so as to reduce their frequency of maintenance. Even with these improvements, however, maintenance of a knife, cheekwood, or cut rubber is inevitable. When such maintenance is necessary, it has been required in prior art machines to stop the machine to replace or repair the worn part, causing delay in the paper cutting process.